Seated in the leather chair in a back corner office of a car shop are at least four young men.
There's 25-year-old Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., the name used for his Atlanta businesses, including Grand Hustle Records, a construction company called New Finish, the nightspot Club Crucial and Elite Auto Concierge, this low-key customization venture in the northeast metro area.
It's the name you'd use to find his criminal record, which includes a felony drug conviction.
Also in the chair is the far-better-known hip-hop star T.I., a Grammy nominee who's sold a million-plus records over his three-album career. Vibe magazine has given him the best street anthem award two years in a row, and the equal parts aggressive and easygoing rhymer hopes to qualify for a third with his new CD release, "King," in stores Tuesday.
On commercials and posters across the country, you'll see the name Tip "T.I." Harris. That's how he's credited in his first theatrical release, the Atlanta-based coming-of-age movie "ATL," in multiplexes this Friday.
And finally, there is Tip, what his friends and family have always called him. And like a true Southerner who thinks the world of his grandmother — even calling her Mother — he tries especially hard in front of visitors to be respectful and charming. And succeeds.
For the guy who goes by all of these monikers, this is the start of the biggest week of his professional life. No wonder he can barely stay seated as he discusses it all:
S.M. In the XXL magazine cover story hitting stands now, you say you want to do what Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Lopez have done — have a No. 1 album and movie in the same week. Do you own a Barbra Streisand album?
T.I. Nope. I've got a Jennifer Lopez record.
S.M. Ever seen a Barbra Streisand movie?
T.I. Naw. I've seen a Jennifer Lopez movie.
S.M. Which one?
T.I. I've seen "Maid in Manhattan" ... "Wedding Planner." Oh — "Out of Sight." That's my favorite Jennifer Lopez movie. And "Selena." That was a wonderful portrayal.
S.M. Describe the character you portray in "ATL."
T.I. Rashad? He's a young man in a lot of grown-man situations. And he has to find ways to deal with them. [The movie's] basically a look into the lives of a group of teenagers who live in Atlanta; and their triumphs, their struggles, their ups and downs. Just their transition from adolescence to adulthood and how they deal with it.
S.M. "ATL" was produced by Will Smith's company. Now that's a guy who has a totally different hip-hop persona from you. What did you think of him before you met him and what do you think of him now?
T.I. I met Will a long, long, long time ago when me, [music executive] KP and Usher were in Miami working on Usher's "8701" album. He took us out. He eats a lot of strange [expletive]. He took us to some place where we didn't even see a menu.
S.M. Strange like what?
T.I. You know, like, sushilooking-type [expletive]. And raw octopus. But I appreciate the offer though, Will! Will and [his wife] Jada, they really did show us to a nice time. But I passed on the food.
S.M. What are some of the similarities you've found between acting and rapping? Will, Ludacris and a lot of other hip-hop stars seem to be successfully making that transition.
T.I. The thing about rapping is what you say is supposed to be the truth. ... And acting is fictional.
S.M. But people say you're both a good rapper and a good actor when you're believable, right?
T.I. True. But that makes you a good liar in acting. In rapping, it would make you a good truth teller. That's why I'm reluctant to deal with a young lady who's successful in acting. You never can tell.
S.M. What about the music and movie industry businesses? How do they differ?
T.I. With music, man, I've kind of proven myself. I can kind of call my own shots and run my own show with music. But movies [long pause] ... movies are a far more larger production than music.
S.M. With different requirements, right?
T.I. Punctuality being the number one thing. Time is money.
S.M. OK, on to hip-hop. When did you first know you had a gift for rapping?
T.I. Eight. Nine. Even back in the days when people were rapping at the cafeteria table, nobody was better than me. Nobody. Since Grove Park [Elementary School, in northwest Atlanta].
S.M. You were an urban legend even back then, huh? Like your album title. But part of that legend had to have been for what you were doing in the streets of Bankhead. What kind of lessons have helped you as an artist and a businessman?
T.I. You do a bad deal today, tomorrow you can expect to do an even badder deal. If I let a company only give me this much [spreads his thumb and forefinger], when I'm worth this much [spreads his hands wide], the next time I do a deal you can guarantee that word's gonna circulate: "He'll do whatever. Settle for whatever." Your word is your bond. That was another lesson. Don't count on nobody but yourself. Don't tell on nobody about nothing. If you owe somebody, pay him.
S.M. How much did you make on the streets?
T.I. [Laughs boisterously, wide-eyed] Why you want to ask me that? I don't think that's important. [Brief pause] Tens of thousands — at its height. ... I had good days and I had bad days, and they all even out to zero. You know what I'm saying? You've got nothing left to show for it.
S.M. Now, as a million-selling rapper, record label executive and movie star, what's the biggest check you've seen?
T.I. [Laughs even harder] I can't answer that.
S.M. Can you say how many figures it was?
T.I. Eight! Yep ... It's nothing. People are giving away that kind of money all of the time.
S.M. It's at least $10 million. A big step closer to the $100 million you say in XXL you want to have.
T.I. But it's like I said: You make money, you spend money. Yes, that is the biggest check I've seen, but you have overhead.
S.M. All right, on to another figure ... Teen People named you one of its 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 last year. BET included you in its "All Shades of Fine: 25 Hottest Men of the Last 25 Years." Are you likely to settle down and get married soon?
T.I. Hmm. A lot of people would like to have an answer to that question. I mean, it ain't that I won't. But ... I ain't ready to do that yet. ... Something will suffer. ... I'm already in a relationship now and my relationship suffers. And I'm sorry. But I'm in business with people. I'm in charge of people's careers. People have given me money.
S.M. So to those "lots of people" who would like to know the answer to that question, you will definitely not be married anytime soon?
T.I. I mean, I can't say definitely. If I make $100 million on this movie. And this album goes diamond [10 million in sales], then I'm in a whole other position ... which will make me more able to settle down.
SM: Settle down? You say yourself, you pace and move all of the time, almost uncontrollably, even as you've been sitting here...
T.I. I mean settle down monogamously. ... I'm still going to be a ripper and a runner. ... Some people sit around and talk about what they want to do and how they wanna do it. Some people get out there and make it happen. I want to be one of those who get out there and make it happen. ... I'm going to go and do it!
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